The Knight of San Fransokyo
by Sarge51
Summary: Hiro get's saved one night by a mysterious bot he's never seen before. Who knows what the future holds?
1. The Knight appears!

Hiro ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He had to escape, he had to get to safety and away from the horror that followed behind him. His lungs burning and legs aching, he sprinted down the seemingly never ending alley that lay before him. He leapt over overturned trash bins and weaved around the usual alley trash that littered a typical San Fransokyo back alley. He could hear the sounds of something rushing down the alley behind him. It reminded him of the sound that a river made as it went down rapids. It was a roar, like water was flowing behind him and threatening to catch up to him.

He could barely see down the alley due to the darkness of the night and the fact that it was a new moon out. He hated the astrological side of the universe at the moment. He looked over his shoulder and his heart almost stopped in his chest.

Darkness was swarming down the alley, consuming all in its path. It cascaded towards him and he was filled with terror. The creature at the center of the wave was pure black with two blazing red eyes and a set of shark-like white teeth. Said teeth were currently wide open in a horrid inhuman screech.

Hiro's heart started beating three times faster than before, adrenaline filling his thin body and flooding his brain. He could think of only one thing as of right now and that was to run faster. He pushed his body to the limits, but he could already see the lights at the end of the alley that signaled the nightlife of the city and the safety of a crowd. He was so close!

Then, when he thought he might just make it, he felt his foot snag. His body jerked forwards and he felt a sense of dread wash over him. His chest and hand erupted in pain as it felt like a thousand needs were piercing his skin. The pain was sudden, but it's what the pain represented that truly hurt. He had failed, he was going to die. _I was so close…so close to actually making it. I don't even know why I'm gonna die._

He rolled onto his back and watched as the cascade of darkness came closer and closer. It roared down the alley towards him. He knew he wasn't going to survive, but he brought his arms up in defense anyways. _This is it…I'm gonna die._ His thoughts all converged on his imminent doom. He wanted to do a lot. He wanted to fly away, to teleport, to run, but he knew none of these were possible. Instead, he yelled seven words.

"Someone! Help me! I don't wanna die!" Tears welled up in his eyes, the black death almost upon him. He closed his eyes and waited for his end…and waited…

He waited, but he wasn't dead yet. He cracked an eye open to try and see why he hadn't been torn to shreds by whatever that black monster was. Hiro was expecting many things. He expected the black beast to be upon him and waiting to kill him just for fun. He was thinking maybe he had already died and he was going to be in the presence of whatever was to come after. Hell, he even thought maybe he was in an empty abyss. All of these he saw as possible avenues, but what he saw when he opened his eyes stunned him into silence and caused his jaw to drop.

Before him stood a giant of a robot. Its body was a shiny silver and it was practically glowing. It looked like a fantasy knight from some kind of Japanese anime. A black cape flowed off of one shoulder and draped down. He could only see his back, but the large force field that surrounded them was impossible to miss. The robot was holding a gigantic silver shield that had been slammed into the ground and was emitting a force field around them. He couldn't believe his eyes! A particle shield emitted using an active plasma projector!

The shield itself was pure white and everywhere that the blackness tried to breach glowed a brilliant gold color. He had never seen anything like this. Hiro looked back to the large robot and tried to speak.

"Ho…how?" was all he managed to squeak out. The robot looked over its shoulder towards Hiro. It locked it's blue ocular lenses with his eyes. Static projected from it's helmet, very faintly, followed by a clear synthesized voice in an English accent.

"I heard your pleas for help, so it was duty to come to your aid. I will handle this filthy mongrel." Stated the robot. It looked back to the creature that was thrashing itself against the barrier. Hiro stood on shaky legs.

"Listen Mr. Knight man, I don't think you understand how strong this guy is…" Hiro said in a defeated tone. He couldn't see how this knight, this robot, could take on this seemingly never ending tide of darkness. The knight reached behind him and pulled out what seemed to be a sword hilt. He held it out to the side and flicked his wrist.

The hilt expanded lick a spear. It became an easy twelve feet long before it was stopped. The thin spear like weapon then expanded into a cone shape. The knight held it forward, then it hit Hiro. It was a Lance!

The knight let the shield go and then the lance flattened. It turned its long spear like tip into a flat blade. It gleamed in the white and gold glow of the barrier.

"For Justice!" The knight yelled as it charged the black creature. The creature's red eyes glowed in the darkness and it brought its teeth to bare once more and emitted a spine chilling screech. Hiro watched in amazement as the knight ran through his own barrier and swung his blade and the monster.

The blade cut through a black wave and the section he separated fell to the ground and dissolved into the concrete. The creature screamed in pain as it launched a full on assault on the knight-like robot. The waves crashed against the bot and Hiro thought the bot destroyed, until the bot broke through the darkness and soared above the alley. Hiro stared in awe of the bot.

It soared above the alley on wings of silver light. The wings spread out in a graceful display, the crystalline feathers causing the knight to hover. The bot batted it's wings and then dove back down towards the creature. A loud battle cry emitted from the knight as it dove, the creature rising to meet the bot with another spine chilling screech.

The two met in the air above the barrier that Hiro was still inside of. The clash lasted only the briefest of moments before the now black mass of the two fell crashing into the alley with gigantic boom as a large cloud of dust and debris were thrown into the air. Hiro waited for what felt like an eternity for any sign of who won the conflict. He pressed is hands up against the metal shield as he felt his heart beat faster and faster and the sense of anticipation built.

After what seemed like forever, the darkness started to spiral inward towards what had been the sight of the impact. The mass of black swirled and started to recede back. The black soon was gone entirely and all that he could see was a crater. The knight stood up and Hiro was stunned. He held what appeared like a metal recreation of a werewolf's skeleton. The eyes were still glowing faintly red. In the center of the skeleton was a mix of piping and electronics.

The Robot Knight walked towards Hiro, now battered and beaten from the fall. The armor was scratched and scuffed and his wings were bent. The wings folded into the bot's back as he stepped back into the shielded zone that Hiro occupied. It knelt down and a beep sounded off. It reached for Hiro and he flinched back and stepped away.

"Do not fear, I simply wish to assist you. You have a minor abrasion on your hands and cuts on your knees. May I apply a minor disinfectant and numbing agent?" Asked the large bot. Hiro looked to his still stinging hands. They were an angry red and slightly swollen. He shakily held his hand out to the bot. It reached forwards and pointed a finger at his hands. Hiro had been saved, so he thought he could trust the bot with this.

A clear spray emitted from the tip of the bots finger. It sprayed onto Hiro's hands and he was surprised to feel the pain subside and the redness dull to a pink color. The bot did the same to his knees. He was half tempted to say he felt perfectly fine. The bot stood and nodded to Hiro, picking up and deactivating his shield.  
"You are safe now young man. Do you need assistance in getting home?" Asked the Knight. Hiro shook his head no. His home wasn't very far away, so he wasn't scared now.

"Thank you…what can I call you?" asked Hiro. The bot's eyes glowed brighter and it emitted the same static as before.

"Call me…Naito." Said the knight. It the spread it's wings again and flew into the night sky. Hiro hadn't even seem them unfold…


	2. Red Lighting!

The sunlight filtered into the room from outside thanks to the bright and clear skies outside. A groan escaped Hiro as he lay on his bed, journal covering his face and thankfully sheltering him from the painful light. He shuffled in the bed to get more comfortable. Right now, to him, this bed was heaven on Earth.

Hiro finally caved though and reached up to his face to remove the journal. He grabbed the cover and lifted it off his face, sitting up in the process. He rested the journal in his lap and admired his work that had been completed before he went to sleep.

A sketch, full color even, was now on the pages of the journal. Words lined the page detailing his experience the night before. Naito was on the right page with his shield, wings and sword. _'That bot, he was so awesome! I can't believe that that even happened.' _He thought. His memories of the night came back to him and he couldn't wait to get to class and tell the gang what had happened last night. Hiro stood up and stretched to his full height, hands reaching for the ceiling.

He scanned the room and navigated the messiness that came with being a teenager. He soon found his usual outfit that consisted of a blue zip up, a red t-shirt with a bot on it, kaki cargo pants and some blue sport shoes with yellow laces. Minus the pants, he didn't really change much since he started college last year…minus the whole super hero thing of course. Before he could get lost in the memories of his adventures though, his phone started ringing. He glanced to the device and noticed the screen had brought up a picture of Honey Lemon. Hiro picked up the device and answered the call.

"Honey Lemon?" He asked.

"Thank heavens you picked up Hiro!" said the familiar voice of Honey Lemon.

"What's Wrong HL?" Asked Hiro. He had started using HL as shorthand since Honey was really awkward for some reason and Lemon was not a compliment in his opinion when left on its own.

"I missed my bus and I need a ride to campus, I have one of the most important tests of my college career today. Please Hiro, I need your help and you're my only hope!" She said in a rushed voice, pleading with him. Hiro blushed as he stuttered out an answer.

"I-I can help! Where are you?" he asked. He couldn't believe that she needed help, let alone that she would ask him. He could hear her relief as she spoke.

"Remember that Ramen place that Fred took us all to last week? I'm there, I stopped by to pick something up and it took longer than expected." She explained. Hiro did in fact remember that stand. Fred had taken the gang there to celebrate the arrival of his first edition Dr. Saravio Comic #44.

"Yeah, crystal clear. I'll be there as soon as I can Honey Lemon." He said. He could hear her shout in excitement.

"Thank you so much Hiro! Please, hurry!" She said and the line closed. Hiro's face took on the determined look that settled when he had a clear goal in mind. He ran out his door, picking up his bag full of school supplies and belongings as he did so. He rushed down the stairs and into the backroom of the Café. Aunt Cass was gone. Hiro cursed his luck. With Cass gone and Baymax running an OS update and reboot, he didn't have any way to get to Honey Lemon.

Hiro walked out the side door and into the garage. _'Dammit! What now? I don't have a bike or anything. I don't have another angle on this one…' _Hiro walked over to his favorite chair and the computer he kept in the garage/lab. He went to plop down into the chair, but he had misjudged the distance and ended up landing flat on his back. Pain shot up his spine and he groaned. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"If Tadashi was here, he'd know what to do. He'd probably just ride his Scooter…" his train of thought stopped dead. He did have a way, though he was unsure of if he should do it. Said method that could complete his promise rested only a few feet from him…

"This is soooo a bad idea…" muttered Hiro. He was now sitting on the seat of Tadashi's red moped. The moped had been sitting in the garage since Tadashi had died. Hiro knew how to ride it, his big brother had taught him when he was ten after he practically forced him to. Hiro had tended to the scooter and kept it clean, but he refused to ride it when it wasn't necessary. Now though…someone needed him. Hiro swallowed the large lump in his throat and prayed to every deity that the moped would start. He placed his foot on the kick switch and kicked.

The engine roared to life on the moped. The rhythmic putt noise filled Hiro's heart with pride as he sat down. He slammed the helmet of his brother onto his head and pulled the goggles down. He revved the engine and felt a jolt as the adrenaline coursed through his veins. _'Well, it's now or never!' _though Hiro as he gripped the handlebars and gunned the throttle.

"Hahaha!" laughed Hiro as the moped shot off like a rocket down the alley. He turned at the end, leaning into the turn and gunning the throttle hard again. He sped down the street and shot past the cars that were stuck in traffic. He felt an unbelievable rush as he ran a yellow light. The wind rushed past his face, the sun shined down on him and he felt at peace.

'_It reminds me of Tadashi.' _Thought Hiro. He missed his brother. Riding the moped made him remember all the times his brother had saved him from bot fights that had turned sour, from bullies that had cornered him and from Aunt Cass when she found out about what he had done. He smiled, _'He helped me time and time again.'_ He weaved in between a bus and semi and sped up.

Hiro couldn't get over how fast the moped was. He never knew it could go this fast! He was whizzing past cars and busses like they were almost crawling by! Probably helped that it was rush-hour in the middle of the day. He could see the gates of China Town ahead. He kept gunning it. The tires squealed as he swerved, black rubber marking up the dark grey asphalt. He watched the bright colors and the massive amount of cars, people and ads as he zipped down the streets of early morning San Fransokyo.

Hiro drove through the China Town gateway and sped down the now brick street. He knew that the Raman Stand, called Naruto Ramen, was only a couple of blocks away. He weaved past several carts and onto the sidewalk to avoid a crowd. The big sign that hung above Naruto Ramen, a neon sign of a fish cake, was like finish line for Hiro.

He gunned it, then slid sideways into the finish! He felt adrenaline overflowing as he raised his hands in victory.

"Yeah! Awesome!" he shouted. He felt an impact as something squeezed him from the side. He thought he was getting attacked until a wave of golden hair flashed into his vision. He looked and saw a grinning, teary eyed Honey Lemon. He gave her a quick hug back and smiled. She was wearing a yellow sweater dress with a white jacket with flower print that was also yellow. She looked him in the eyes and he felt that blush burning his cheeks again.

"Thank you so much Hiro! You're my savior!" She said, rolling the R in his name like always. He just chuckled sheepishly and offered her the spare helmet.

"You're welcome HL, climb on board. We have a test to get you to." He said to her, a toothy grin on his face. She accepted the helmet and sat behind hero, fastening the helmet to her head. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms tightly around him for safety.

"Ready!" She said, unaware of the massive red blush on Hiro's face. He nodded, then cranked the throttle and off they went to SFIT!

They weaved in an out of traffic on the freeway, the engine of the moped being pushed to the limits of its capabilities. Honey Lemon still clung to Hiro, a small amount of fear tingling in the back of her head. Every time a Hiro weaved and veered a little too close to a car, she would squeeze tightly and burry her face in the crook of his neck.

"Aaaah!" She squealed as they weaved past another semi. Hiro's face was still red as a tomato, but he was enjoying the ride immensely. He always enjoyed being around Honey Lemon, but this was one of his best decisions ever. He just hoped she didn't want to end his existence after this. That thought alone brought Hiro's mood down a little. He calmed down his driving, making it safer and so that Honey could enjoy it more.

Honey was grateful for the smoother ride, though in truth she didn't mind the ride before. Something about being this close to Hiro calmed her. She loosened her grip, but still held on tightly and rested her head on his shoulder. Hiro steered them to an off ramp and onto slower streets. He hopped onto the sidewalk and through the large front gates of SFIT.

"What building?" Hiro asked her. She didn't hear it, still content with where she was.

"Honey Lemon, what building?" He asked again. She sighed contently and yawned even. _'Man, she must be really tired or something. Her eyes are closed even.' _She shifted to be as close as she could to him.

"The Chem labs in the Mendeleev Courts." She mumbled. She really enjoyed this, being this relaxed and comfortable. Usually her head was filled with hundreds of thoughts that turned into ideas for new ways to create chemicals and concoctions that could change base materials and compounds. Now she was just comfortable and relaxed.

Hiro nodded in affirmation. He rode through campus, past large Victorian buildings that made up the libraries and great halls of SFIT. He followed a path that led along a small stream that was built by students from a past class as a project on erosion on a full scale. The green grass and tall trees waved in the breeze as he made his way over to the Courts. He pulled up to the labs and dropped the kickstand.

"Honey Lemon, we're here." He said. She blinked and stretched, dismounting from the moped. Hiro felt a sudden coldness as Honey Lemon unwrapped her arms and got off the bike. She smiled at Hiro as she undid the helmet and rested it on the back of the moped.

"Thank you so much Hiro!" She said and leaned in, kissing his cheek like always. She smiled her classic Honey Lemon smile and waved.

"Wish me luck Hiro!" She said, turning and running up the steps. Hiro touched the spot on his cheek that she kissed, face red as the chili peppers Aunt Cass uses in her wing sauce. He puts the kick stand up and prepares to take off to the robotics labs when he hears Honey Lemon yell for him.

"Hiro!" He looks to her. She's at the top of the steps to the two story Chemical Laboratories.

"When it's just us, feel free to call me Aiko! Thanks again!" She said and into the building she went. Hiro sat in confusion. _'Aiko? Why would Honey Lemon want me to call her that? Unless…' _ Hiro's look of confusion turned into a grin of triumph. It was her name! Hiro just learned Honey Lemons name!

* * *

**And with that, we conclude this chapter. It's late and I need sleep. I work unfortunately. Oh well, what's one to do? I need funds to continue my work and to buy a car again. Please, feel free to review, follow and favorite if that's what you want. Next time on ****Knight of San Fransokyo!****: **

…_**Gogo was walking down a long, dark Hall. She still didn't know everything that was supposed to be in here. Just another dumb Showcase. Besides Hiro, no one ever had anything truly original or special. She was only here because Hiro had asked her to come with the rest of the gang. **_

'_**Pop!' goes her gum as she bites down on the bubble. She starts the walk to the main hall. She walks around a corner and stops in her tracks. On the ground, sitting huddled against the wall with is knees to his chest, is a young man, probably seventeen or so, crying into his arms. He has shoulder length silver hair with streaks of black. His skin is pale, almost white really. His cries are muffled and quiet as his tears soak into his black hoodie. His deep brown kaki's take the rest of the blow. **_

_**He shifts his feet that are clad in green chucks so that he is leaning against the wall more and he raises his head. He freezes when he spots her. She just has a blank expression.**_

'_**Pop!' "What's up?" She asks him.**_


	3. The SFIT Showcase!

The Hamada Convention Hall was filled to the brim with SFIT hopefuls and their projects. Each one of them has a burning desire to be accepted into the school, but not everyone will be able to be accepted. Projects ranged anywhere from psychological theories to the properties and abilities of light infraction. Booths lined the walls, large groups of stalls were set up throughout the large facility. There were five stages in the Hall.

Four small stages were set on the east and west walls of the building. They were used for small demonstrations that didn't require much space or even a microphone. People stopped in and watched as various projects were showcased, some more interesting than others. Not everyone wants to see someone make a cloned orange that ends up pink.

At the back of the room was a large main stage. It was a hundred feet across and fifty feet deep. It's where people showcased large projects. Anything from prototype bots to new engine types were shown off at this main stage. It was all enough to make someone's head spin, but luckily he wasn't just your average someone.

He had worked so hard and for so long to have this chance to show people his work. For years he'd been working just to get to this point and he swelled with pride as he walked into the grand entrance of Hamada Hall. The building was a large modern styled structure. It had been built after the last convention center had burned and a student had lost his life in the fire while trying to rescue anyone left behind. Since he was a robotics student, they had made the building a clean, organized and modern style. The outside was Spartan and purely for function. Silver steel shined in the sunlight along with white stone and large floor to ceiling windows made of blue glass. It was a shining pure gem in the bright sunlight of the afternoon.

He admired the secondary entryway that led into the main hall. The doors were clear glass with shining stainless handles, the doors fixed open for easy access for the event today. The main hall was tall, at least three stories, with lights lining the ceiling. Accent lighting lit up the large glass ceiling with brilliant blues, greens and even white. The floors were a warm chestnut wood with portions that were carpeted in a black high traffic material.

The floor was massive, booths everywhere. He peaked into several booths as he walked by and started to actually get a bit intimidated. _'Man, I didn't know that so many people would be doing so much…' _His resolve was starting to weaken a bit. He still tried to look on the bright side. The large trunk he had strapped to his back gave him some reassurance. He had so much to show off, hopefully he was good enough. He had come so far…

"Ow!" he yelled, flung forwards and slamming into the ground. His face scrapped on the wood floor, pain erupting and burning. He groaned as he laid there.

"Hey, Gogo? I think you may have just injured someone." A voice said. It was male, clear, with just a hint of whiny.

"Huh? Oh, didn't even see him there." Female voice this time, definitely. It sounded very bored and…tough? Was that even possible to convey in a tone? He groaned as he went to stand, knees bending, he used his sleeve covered hands to push himself up. His face hurt so badly. The wood floor needed refinished or something, it had felt like sandpaper on his face. He used his sleeve to rub his face, the black fabric soft and cool. He turned around and decided to see who had just knocked him down.

"Hey! Looks like she's okay guys. Guess Gogo won't get in trouble, sweet!" Said another male voice. The voice sounded like you're average beach bum or stoner geek. _'Wait a second, she?!' _He felt his blood boil and he frowned. He was about to correct the man, but the female came back into the conversation.

"Fred, that's a guy, not a girl…" said the female, her voice deadpan and most likely her expression as well.

He now had the people in his view. The voices actually matched up pretty easily. On the left was a thin man, probably in his mid to late twenties. He had on a beanie and a long sleeve shirt. His jean shorts were dirty and looked like they could use a wash. His shoes were white with green laces and looked old and worn, but well cared for.

On the right was a tall, well-built black man. He wore a green sweater and a pair of khakis. He had dreads, but had an air about him that said 'Wimpy'. He also had a kind expression, even if he had the look of a perfectionist.

It was the person in the middle of the group who had grabbed his attention the most and actually froze him in place. She wasn't very tall, maybe five foot six at the most. She had curves, but still held an athletic build. She had on fingerless gloves, a black leather jacket that was zipped closed, black training shorts, torn black leggings with purple leggings under them followed up with black running shoes. Her hair was black with purple accents. She was of Asian descent unlike the other two and she was, without a doubt, gorgeous.

"Uh, Gogo? I think you broke the poor kid." Said the black man. He waved his hands in front of Gogo's victim. He was met with no reaction whatsoever. The kid just kept his eyes on Gogo, lips parted slightly and a black expression.

"Let me try Wasabi. Hey! Creep! You okay?" Gogo asked the kid, snapping him out of his funk. He shook his head, silver hair shaking about. It came to rest over his eyes again. He rubbed his sleeves against his Brown cargo pants out of nervousness. It didn't seem like she remembered him, though all he did was run away.

"S-s-sorry, just kind of zoned there." Said the kid. He was tall, taller than Fred or Gogo. He was probably even a bit taller than Wasabi. His silver hair had black streaks in it and he had a bit of silver scruff on his face. The stoner like man just smiled and held his hand out in a fist bump.

"Don't sweat it man, just trying to make sure the scary lady didn't hurt ya." He said. The kid fist bumped him lightly and just made a confused look. Gogo looked like she was going to hit Fred for what he said.

"Scary? I'm not sure that's really an appropriate adjective for her." Said the kid. This got Fred and Wasabi to look at each other, both sharing a smirk. It wasn't every day they got an opportunity like this. They just hoped the kid was going to say what they were hoping. It'd so make the day historical if so.

"Oh? Really?" Asked Wasabi. The kid nodded, causing Fred to take a step to stand beside the kid.

"Then what would you say, my floor facing friend?" He asked. The kid didn't miss a beat, even if what he said barely came out as a whisper.

"Beautiful." He said. Fred's face split in a grin and Gogo's turned bright red. She started fell dead silent and actually turned, walking away from the group.

"Hmm, alright man. Bold of ya to say that. Good luck in the Showcase!" Said Fred as he and Wasabi turned and followed after Gogo. They started laughing and teasing her. The 'Kid' just stared in confusion. It was just a simple answer. It wasn't like someone as gorgeous as her didn't get compliments like that. She probably had tons of guys chasing after her! He shook his head, clearing it of his thoughts.

"_Johnathan Whitfield please report to the main stage for preparation for presentation." _Said a voice over an intercom. He breathed in, then released. _'You're going to do great John, don't worry. You've done great and you're work is proof enough of that.'_ He reassured himself as he walked to the back of the Hall.

Hiro rode the red moped up to the front entrance of Hamada Hall. The hall had been dedicated to Tadashi when it was completed a few months ago. Hiro had yet to see it, but now that he had all he could think was how perfect it was and how it was like Tadashi would have built it, precise and simple, function over fashion.

Today was the day of the annual Showcase, the same showcase that had allowed him entrance into SFIT. He had asked the gang to come with him today so that they could see if anyone interesting was going to join the robotics program. Usually, people went into theoretical sciences or computers, but he wanted to get prepared for anyone that might come into their group. He had to make sure they wouldn't be a threat.

He jogged up the steps and through the front doors and almost ran into Wasabi. Both he and Fred were currently teasing Gogo about something, but they stopped when they noticed Hiro had just walked in.

"Hey Hiro!" Said Fred, waving with his usual relaxed attitude. Wasabi just smiled as a greeting while Gogo stood giving them a death glare. Hiro gave her a look of confusion.

"Don't ask." She said. He shrugged and knew better than to question her. That look she had screamed death. It's best just to drop it, besides, Fred would tell him later.

"You guys excited about the showcase?" Asked Hiro. He couldn't wait to see all the new projects and people. Most of all, though, he hoped to find someone that could challenge him mentally. The team kept him on his toes, but it was always nice to find someone else that could keep up with him.

"You know me Hiro, Science is always on the menu!" Said Fred cheerfully, mouth spreading into a grin.

"I know Fred, well, you guys ready to get the show started?" asked Hiro, excitement in his voice. Gogo grunted, Fred pumped his fist into the air and Wasabi…was Wasabi. With that, the quartet walked into the Hall to watch as the presentations got underway.

The projects so far that had been showcased were actually pretty cool to watch. Hiro stood among the crowd as they all clapped. The old man who had just been up to the stage had showcased his 'Never Stop' watch. It ran on a skeleton gear, but what made the watch unique was the inner workings. It was entirely mechanical and it could always keep accurate time based on the gravitational pull of the earth to determine where the watch was and what time it should be. It had really impressed the crowd and even gotten him an acceptance letter into the mechanical engineering program. Hiro almost cried when the old man broke down and cried, thanking the teacher who had sponsored him. The crowd cheered as the old man walked off the stage, bowing one last time to them.

"That was seriously cool. Sure, it wasn't a Mech, but still rad!" Commented Fred. He had been genuinely interested in the watch. They couldn't wait to see who was next and what they had. Hiro had yet to find anyone that would be going to their lab, most people were in Mathematical sciences or engineering.

The announcer, a woman in a black skirt and white blouse wearing a pair of black stilettos, walked her way to the center of the stage. She had a clipboard in her left hand and a microphone in her left hand. She brought the mic up to just in front of her mouth and spoke.

"Alright! It's been a wonderful Showcase this year and an absolute treat to be able to hold it in this gorgeous new Convention Hall. We would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out tonight to watch all of these fine inventors and thinkers to show their genius to the world. We have one more project to show you." This brought the crowd to cheer loudly. They were all excited to see who would close out the event.

"I would like you all to bid our final participant a warm welcome!" The crowd cheered and the woman clapped. A tall thin young man walked onto the stage. He was probably six foot four. He wore a black hoodie with red shoulders, brown Khaki cargo pants, green chucks. He had shoulder length silver hair with black streaks in it. He had silver scruffy facial hair to complete the look. His eyes were blue, ice blue really. He carried a very large trunk on his back. He walked up to the lady and bowed lightly before grabbing the microphone.

He attempted a half smile before he brought the microphone up to his lips.

"He-hello, my name is Johnathan Whitefield." He spoke into the microphone. The crowd calmed down, much of the energy gone as people prepared to hear his proposal.

"Hey, Gogo! It's your new boyfriend." Said Fred. Wasabi laughed as Gogo's face turned bright red and she started to growl. Hiro just gave Fred a weird look.

"Oh, she knocked him over earlier and I was teasing her by calling her scary. That guy said she was beautiful and she lost it, hehe." Said Fred while holding back his laughter. Gogo just kept glaring at them. Hiro shrugged and turned back to the stage. The man and placed his trunk on the ground and faced the crowd, sweat was rolling down his face.

"Now, I'll start with this." He said, holding up a standard robotic prosthetic limb. Hiro felt excitement building, maybe he would have something to do with robotics.

"This is a standard, top of the line robotic limb for amputees. It uses a neural transmitter that's implanted in the spine to transmit the signals that your brain are trying to send to a lost limb." He opened his trunk and pulled out a stand. The stand had a holographic projector on it. He turned it on and a full 3d rendering of a human body appeared. Lights flowed along pathways in the body.

"The brain sends a signal and it has to travel through the spine. Now, because it's wirelessly sent to the robotic limb, there's what's called a 'neural delay' due to the time it takes. This means your replacement limb is always going to be a second or two behind your brain." The crowd started to listen carefully. As he spoke, Johnathan started to gain more confidence.

"I've spent years researching techniques to enhance and shorten this delay. I studied every night for hours and hours, yet I never could find a way. I couldn't shorten the time it took for the wireless signal to send to the limb." He walked to the backside of the display and started to open files and move things. The lights on the stage dimmed to increase the visibility of the hologram. The body zoomed in to and the display grew so everyone could see it clearly.

"After years of study, I finally had a breakthrough. I found out that I needed to stop trying to work around the body, work with the body instead." He walked to the edge of the stage and pulled something very small out of his pocket, it was a silver pellet the size of a grain of rice. The crowd seemed confused by this new object and what Johnathan was saying.

"This is the first part of my invention. This is called a nano computer." The crowd grew more confused, but also more intrigued.

"Its sole purpose is to transmit and boost the speed of a neurological signal from the brain to a robotic limb. This single device actually has the ability to increase ones response times to that of your average Olympian Athlete if they need it." This caused the crowd to gawk at him. That was ridiculously fast. Hiro knew that as of right now prosthetics were more or less at a standstill due to the barrier he apparently broke.

"Now, I know what you're thinking. 'How do we even know you're telling the truth, where's your proof?' Well, I'll answer that. To make the transfer speeds faster, I realized you would have to internalize the entirety of the limb and it's processed to make the system work. So, I started to run tests." A screen opened on the holographic display. A video started to play. It was what appeared to be a time-lapse of a surgery. A robot was cutting away flesh from bone and sawing away bone. The flesh was burnt and scarred, the damaged limb removed. A series of wires, connections, metal plates and such were screwed, bolted and nailed into place. After a while, what appeared to be a large metal socket was fully installed where a shoulder had once been. The crowed was in awe at the video.

The video continued on, doing the same for an opposite shoulder and both legs. What came next was the greatest surprise. Highly advanced robotic limbs were quickly attached to the body. The robot ran over several tests with the test subject, whose face was hidden, to make sure the actuators and all of the wiring was set to go. The limbs extended and powered cycled, then the subject bent the limbs, curled toes and made a fists. They could hear crying start over the film right before it ended. The lights came back up and started to speak again.

"Now, I know what you're thinking this time. How did I get someone's permission to run a clearly experimental trial on them? Well, the truth is it's easier to self-experiment with these kinds of things…" At this, John started to remove his hoodie. He slid it over his head along with his shirt. He through the garments aside and the crowd all took in a sharp gasp of breath. They had all expected the young man to be thin, pale and nothing else. No one could have expected what they'd actually see.

John's arms were entirely robotic, all the way up to and including the shoulders. Brushed stainless greeted them all as the moved his arms, the joints and servos all moving. He moved to undo his pants as well. Before the announcer could stop him, he was down to his shorts. This let the crowd see his matching set of robotic legs. The metal plates flexed and slid over one another as he moved.

"This, these limbs and these nano-computers, are my project. When I was little, I had lost three of my limbs and most of the use of my right arm. I dedicated my life to trying to become more, to become normal. Now, after ten years of research, work and effort, I have created a way to give people their lives back." He said, holding his arms behind his back. The light shined off of his pale skin, the silver of his hair only making his paleness all the more intense. The skin where his limbs were attached was slightly darker, but not by much. Veins and lines ran from the convergence point of the artificial and the biological parts of his body up his chest and neck. The crowd was silent for a few long, drawn out second, until they erupted in clapping and cheers. For the first time in a very long time, John felt pride swell within himself.


End file.
